


Nomad

by usnolved



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:02:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23521255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/usnolved/pseuds/usnolved
Summary: Caterina Bianchi is a nomad. When an old friend is in need of help, she travels to Washington to stand as a witness against the Volturi. Seth Clearwater is everything Caterina should hate, but is he really?
Relationships: Seth Clearwater/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 24





	1. Ode To An Army

High above the streets of Paris, far from where the lights could reach, a young woman sat on a tree branch, her ruby eyes observing the Parisians below her, wishing to be as ignorant as they were. Bright blonde hair surrounded her shoulders in perfect curls, her ivory skin was without a blemish and her beauty appeared limitless. 

While she would have oozed perfection, blood was smeared across her mouth and hands, reminders of a particularly gruesome kill. She hadn't meant to be as vicious as she was, but her nomadic lifestyle provided no company and she felt obligated to take her anger out on an unsuspecting woman roaming the alleyways, singing annoyingly loud for the red-eyed beauty's sensitive ears. 

Deciding it was time to return to her home in Versailles, the young blonde jumped from her place in the tree, landing on her high heel clad feet. She began to hear running, knowing it was too loud to be a human's, and sighed, knowing he had found her. She turned one last time towards the city, hoping the lights would suddenly turn off, leaving a trail of darkness.

"I've been expecting you Carlisle," her voice rang through the woods, stopping the male vampire ten feet away from her.

Amusement was obvious as he spoke, "Did you think you could keep running?" She pondered his question, truly wondering if that's what she was doing. "We need your help Caterina," his voice was suddenly desperate. The emotion caused the female vampire to take a deep, albeit unnecessary, breath and turned on her heels to face her friend.

"With?" Her voice was calm and collected despite the only emotion running through her body was anger.

"The Volturi thinks we've committed a crime," Carlisle said, the plea for help becoming more daunting.

"Well, did you?" She asked, retaining her calm demeanor.

"Of course not!" The surprise in his voice caused Caterina to raise an eyebrow.

She sighed, turning towards the city again, "As much as I would love to help your family, you are aware of my terms with the Volturi, no?" At this he nodded, his head falling in defeat as she continued, "They have been looking for a reason to kill me since I left Carlisle, if they find you guilty of your supposed crime, I'll be the first to die."

"I understand," he gave her a tight-lipped smile and sped away. She shook her head, suddenly becoming very aware of how much blood was on her.

As soon as she returned to her house, she immediately felt a shift in the atmosphere, the comfort of her house disappearing and being replaced by unease. She knew if she ran, they'd catch her, thus, she mustered up as much confidence as she could and walked through the large oak doors. Upon entering, she was immediately restrained by Felix, but she remained calm, knowing she could destroy him in a minute if the need arose. She noticed the smug looks of Demetri and Jane and rolled her eyes.

"Ah Caterina, how long it's been," Aro's child-like voice invaded her ears, almost causing a chill to run down her spine.

"That was intentional Aro," her eyes met his as Felix tightened his hold on her, though she refrained from showing discomfort.

"I hear the Cullens are recruiting conspirators as part of their ploy to take us down," Aro appeared to be looking for a reaction from the blonde. She did not give one so he continued to speak, "Were you one of their recruits?"

"I turned them down," she remained still, not wanting to give Felix another reason to tighten his grip. Wanting to make sure she was telling the truth, Aro took Caterina's hand in his own, his eyes glazing over as he saw the conversation had only moments ago.

"It appears she is telling the truth," Any hint of amusement had disappeared from Aro's voice as he signaled Felix to let go of the girl. The burly vampire pushed Caterina to the ground and the Volturi guard began to dissipate from the house. Aro took this as his chance to lean down to the young blonde, grabbed her jaw and whispered harshly, "Keep it this way and you might live." He let go of her, standing up straight and tutting at her, "Such a shame you left." After giving her one last eerie smile, he also left.

Hours after the guard had left Paris, maybe even left France entirely, Caterina stood in the shower, trying her hardest trying not to look at the bloody water flowing to the drain. She hid her red eyes behind her thin eyelids, wishing she wasn't about to make the dumbest decision in her existence. 

It took less than five minutes to make herself appear presentable after drying her hair and, of course, curling it to her liking. Like any nomad, she decided to leave everything behind at the expense of a fresh start. She knew it was weird to show up at an airport without luggage, prompting Caterina to fill a small duffel bag with her most valuable items, relics from a time long before this. 

As expected, Caterina received instant attention upon entering the airport, people gawking was not a new thing, not to her at least. She walked up to the flight desk, a charming smile immediately capturing the flight attendant's attention.

"Bonjour, j'ai besoin d'un billet d'avion pour Washington," the flight attendant nodded, her gawking not any less obvious as she listened to Caterina's fluent French. She shakily handed the blonde vampire a plane ticket, obviously nervous. Caterina grabbed the ticket from the flight attendant's dark hand, intentionally touching the warm hand with her own dead, cold one. The woman gasped as Caterina smiled, "Merci beaucoup."

The flight to Washington was no more interesting than her flight to Russia, or Tokyo, or anywhere for that matter. Caterina just knew she had something to look forward to in the evergreen state. She pretended to sleep for the entire duration of the flight, letting the internal thoughts of the passengers entertain her. 

Upon exiting the airport, Caterina walked as humanly fast as she was able to the surrounding forest and then sped through it, hurrying to where she smelled an overwhelming amount of vampires. As she sped through the forest, she became even more entertained as large wolves began to chase her, snapping their large teeth at her. She knew they would never be able to catch her, though, she wanted to make the chase as fun for herself as possible. Caterina jumped onto a tree branch, continuing her run from there, hopping from branch to branch at an incomparable speed to the wolves. She spotted the opening in the trees where a large house stood, vampires quickly exiting at the sound of howls.

"Sorry boys, this is my stop, this was fun though," she blew a kiss at the large animals and swung from the last viable branch onto the soil where a large group of vampires in defensive positions stood.

When Carlisle noticed who it was, he put a hand up, signaling that it was safe. "She's a friend," he smiled at the blonde vampire as most of the other immortals became confused.

"Hello, I'm Caterina," Her greeting was mainly directed at the woman with long mahogany hair standing at Edward's side, a small child with curly hair matching the telepath hidden behind her.

"She helped me - most of us, actually - master our gifts," Edward smiled at Caterina, which she returned and held her hand out to his mate. "This is Bella, my wife," Edward said as Caterina shook the newborn's hand, "and this is our daughter, Renesmee." Caterina knelt down to the bronze-haired girl as she placed a warm hand on the blonde's cheek. Caterina saw an image of Bella as a human, obviously dying as she saw her daughter for the first time. The blonde gently gasped, causing Renesmee to remove her hand.

"She was born when Bella was human? You're the biological father?" Red eyes met gold as Caterina looked to Edward for answers. He only nodded and Caterina looked to the hybrid and smiled, "You are extraordinary." A blush rose on Renesmee's pale cheeks as she smiled widely.

"Do you have any gifts?" Bella asked as she grabbed her daughter's small hand.

"I have an imitation gift," the blonde replied. as she rose from her kneeling position. Seeing the confusion on the newborn's face, Caterina explained, "Once someone uses their gift on me, I am able to use it as my own."

"That's how she helped us master our gifts," Kate explained, "Before Cat, I had no idea how to use mine."

"Maybe she can help you master your shield," Eleazar suggested. Bella looked hopefully at Caterina.

"I'm sure it's better than Kate teaching you," Caterina grinned. The group shared laughter which was cut short by a thick Romanian accent.

"You have some nerve defending someone from the Volturi," Stefan's voice caused Caterina to roll her eyes.

"You have some nerve standing up to them considering such cowards you've been for 1,500 years," the blonde crossed her arms, red eyes glaring at the Romanians.

"You helped burn our village to the ground!" Vladimir shouted at Caterina. Bella instructed a russet-skinned man to take her daughter inside.

"You were enslaving and killing humans. You were a threat to our existence," Caterina remained calm while the European duo expected her to break down and apologize.

"You are a Volturi at heart, monsters never change," Vladimir spat at the blonde, attempting to intimidate her. Instead of backing away, she rolled her eyes and electrocuted him to the ground. Once she decided he had had enough, she knelt beside him.

"I left, I let go of the past. Hell, I'm here to defend a child from the Volturi. You're here for revenge in a large group because you know neither of you are strong enough to take them down by yourselves. You're cowards and cowards never change," Caterina stood up from her place on the ground and wiped the dirt off her knees. 

"I'm very sorry you had to see that," Caterina apologized to the large group, "I didn't want to do it, but I had to."

"So you were, uh, part of the...Volturi?" Bella became nervous, Caterina understood. Who would want the enemy on their side? Though, Caterina knew she was no longer the enemy.

"Why don't we go inside, I can explain there." The group sped inside, some sitting, others standing. Carlisle knew he could trust his friend, even if his family and friends couldn't understand why.

Caterina stood at the center of the group, all eyes - red and gold - were focused on her. "I was born many years ago, turned when I was 16 by a nomad and taken to the Volturi. Once my gift was discovered, I was forced to train the newborns with gifts. I left the guard in 1832 after I finally saw through the front of wanting to protect our identity. All the Volturi wants is complete control of the vampire world, and they'll stop at nothing to get it."

The vagueness of her explanation confused most of the room. Her naturally secretive persona caused tension and distrust to float in the room as a balloon would. The large group knew they would be forced to trust her if Carlisle could. 

"Did they visit you after I made the proposal?" Carlisle's brows furrowed as he asked Caterina.

"Of course they did. Aro basically threatened my life if I were to join you and I figured no matter what 'crime' you've committed, you're scaring him and I wanted a part in that," a smirk appeared on her lips as she spoke.

No matter her intentions, the Cullens only knew they had a powerful weapon, although they definitely hoped the need wouldn't surface.


	2. The Pain Of Being A Lone Wolf

Seth Clearwater was a refreshing spirit to everyone around him. His bubbly personality kept spirits high where tension was also. The large group of vampires inhabiting the Cullen house for the time being seemed to love Seth. He truly believed there wasn’t a being alive that he couldn’t make a smile appear. Until Caterina. She refused to look at him, much less look him in the eye. 

Edward told him not to take it personally. Seth did take it personally. Was it because he was a wolf? Or because he was Native American? It wasn’t until the second week that Caterina was in Forks that she spoke to him. It was his most memorable experience. 

“Don’t be stupid,” a soft voice called out. At first, he didn’t even realize it was her who had spoken. She sat on the couch, a wool sweater encasing her frame as she read Frankenstein. Caterina had yet to look up from her book, confusing Seth. “It’s not because you’re Native American. It’s because you’re a shifter,” when she didn’t hear anything, she continued, “You imprint, right? I am not risking that.” 

“So you won’t look me in the eye because you’re afraid you’ll have a connection with me?” he asked. Seth was beyond confused, Sam and Jacob said he may be too young to imprint anyway. 

“Too young? Yeah, okay,” Caterina didn’t seem convinced. She knew the shifters looked older than they were but she figured there was no way Seth was under eighteen. 

“What? I’m sixteen, Sam and Jake say it’s too young,” his dark eyebrows came together, forming a confused expression on his flawless face. 

For the first time in her visit, Caterina looked a shifter in the eye. She was met with an unforgettable pull almost hurting her chest. After not feeling pain for two thousand years, Cat felt the worst ache she thought anyone could ever have. Seth fell to the ground on his knees as he looked into never-ending crimson eyes. 

Carlisle sighed as he listened to Caterina complain about being an imprint. No matter how much she complained, the ache in her chest deepened the longer she was away from Seth. She knew complaining would do nothing but the intense pull she was feeling scared her to her very core. 

The nomad had no desire to have any ties to Forks, Washington. Some friends, sure, but nothing holding her back. She wanted to know if there was a way to get rid of it. Carlisle proceeded to inform her of rejecting the imprint. The words stung her. She felt pricks at her skin whenever she thought of rejecting Seth’s imprint. Her face fell at the thought of having to stay in one place. Seth attempted to grab the blonde’s attention to no avail. Though it hurt her, Caterina figured that ignoring her mate was the best option. 

“You do know that won’t work, right?” Edward asked her the next day. 

“Leave me alone,” her beautiful face was wrecked with sadness. 

“Okay but just know that it doesn’t work.” Caterina sighed as she knew Edward was right. Even in a house full of vampires and shifters, she knew she could locate him just by following the pull. Thinking about it, she also considered how he didn’t have the usual wet dog stench attached to him. He smelled more like sandalwood and mint to her. Cat rolled her eyes at herself as she thought about what he smelled like. 

Seth’s heart hurt more every time Caterina ignored him. He knew she felt the pull and was advised by Sam to give her time. He wondered how much time he would have to give her. His heart throbbed painfully at the thought that she might reject the imprint. 

The next time he saw her, he felt the need to memorize her face. Wanting to take in every feature for fear that she might leave, he stared for as long as she’d let him. Caterina wanted so badly to look at Seth but feared the ache in her chest would only intensify. Edward attempted to convince her to talk to Seth but she only diverted the conversation to talk of training Bella in her shield. 

Caterina distracted herself with training Bella, much to the newborn’s dismay. The elder vampire focused Bella on being able to expand her shield while still being able to defend herself. Cat had met a shield many years ago and, having mastered the gift many years ago, could shield others without so much as thinking about it. While she knew they didn’t have time to train Bella to that extent, Caterina would certainly try. 

As the weather became colder, Caterina noticed a shift in surrounding emotions. What was once a joyful household now held nervous or even scared occupants. This caused a shift in the blonde’s own emotions. She wondered if the pull in Seth’s chest was as intense in his as it was in hers. Each time she would pass the tan boy, a small tug attempted to urge her toward him. Her thinking got the best of her and she refused to focus on anything else. She complained to Edward, unwillingly, about her nomadic moral dilemma. He only grinned and rolled his eyes. 

Bella wanted nothing more than to spend what she thought could be her last days with her family. Caterina acknowledged this but had yet to understand it.

“Do you think it’s because you don’t have a family?” Edward asked the blonde one cold morning. 

She shrugged her shoulders, “Maybe. Never thought about it.” Cat didn’t mind the lack of privacy she had around Edward, seeing as he was in the same situation with her. Though, she also knew how to shield her mind from the telepath, but didn’t see a point. She loved an audience. 

“You’re part of our family,” Renesemee hugged the taller vampire. Cat smiled and returned the hug. While Caterina knew that the hybrid was wise beyond her years, she also knew that her ignorance was her blessing, not her knowledge. Edward smiled at his friend’s thought. 

Seth’s sadness rivaled everyone else’s, not because he was more upset, but because Caterina could feel his sadness more than anyone’s. His darker emotions grabbed her heart and ripped it apart, again and again. The pull made her awareness of Seth so strong, Caterina thought she might cry, even though she knew she couldn’t. 

“Seth I just wanted to say that the ache in my chest for you is so intense, I think I might break. You have made me so fragile it scares me, and I don’t do well in the face of fear. My entire existence has been spent with no emotion because I didn’t need it. You make me feel like I need to feel every little thing. Every blip of happiness or sadness, I am obligated to feel in your presence. You make me feel alive,” Caterina wanted to yell so badly. Unfortunately, she did not say it aloud and Edward and herself were the only ones to hear.


	3. Tethered To The Idea Of You

During Caterina’s travels, using her gift came as a rare occasion. Humans, by nature, were weaker than her, thus her gift was basically rendered useless, not that she minded. As confused as the others got whenever she told them, Cat did not like using her gift if it was an option. She kept this reason to herself, seeing as it was nobody else’s business, and even Edward was shielded from that place of her mind. 

What everyone could see, however, was how physically painful using other’s gifts was. Using Kate’s electricity burned her fingers and Caterina knew that if she were human, they would probably be black. Edward and Alice’s gifts gave her actual headaches, even when she attempted to tune them out. Battle training was absolute hell for the blonde, even as long as she’d been doing it. Though, she found that teaching Bella to use her shield was easier as the days went on, but she knew they were quickly running out of time.

The only two people whose thoughts or futures didn’t absolutely wreck Caterina’s mind were Renesemee, who grew bigger by the day, and Seth, to whom the pull in her chest gravitated so naturally to. Cat spent most of her days with the bronze-haired hybrid, seeing as Seth made her so happy and irritated at the same time, it annoyed her more than anything. 

Seth felt tethered to Caterina, as childish as it sounded. He wondered what the spirits thought, and why they were even paired in the first place. Everyone in the tribe had calculated that imprinting was to carry on the wolf gene, though, his imprinting of a vampire confused and frustrated the tribe elders. Sam assured the younger shifter that Caterina needed him as badly as he needed her: that she was in as much pain as he was. Seth felt worried that she would reject the imprint, leaving him heartbroken and alone. 

Caterina and Edward heard the gut wrenching thoughts of Seth Clearwater and both wanted to comfort him. Though, only Edward took the initiative to walk to the young shifter and assure him that Cat would never break the imprint, even as annoyed as she seemed. Caterina almost felt pain watching the telepath comfort her mate, knowing that Seth would only truly be happy with the idea of her accepting the fact that they were meant to be.

With Alice and Jasper still gone and Christmas quickly approaching, Caterina and Seth only felt the ache become stronger as they watched the happy couples, whose fears of imminent death and destruction had been set aside for the holiday, snuggle together as if needing warmth. They both watched with disdain as even the loneliest people in the house grew slightly cheerful, even if it was just for Renesemee’s sake. Caterina grew sick of the happy thoughts and ran to the top of a random mountain, hoping to find quiet. 

She didn’t expect to hear the gloomy thoughts of a certain shifter, who she was mindfully avoiding more than anyone else. When he noticed her, his face fell even more, if that was possible. “Oh hey,” he turned slightly away, almost awkwardly, “I was just, uh, leaving.” Cat didn’t need to be a mind reader to know he was lying, his scent was fresh to the area, like he had just arrived slightly before herself. 

“Seth,” Caterina said gently, “I don’t mean to hurt you, it just seems to be something I excel at.” The look of sadness which drifted through her crimson eyes did not go unnoticed by the shifter. “If it’s any consolation, I would have picked someone much better than myself for you to be permanently attached to,” she gave a dry laugh, which went unreciprocated, causing her to cross her pale arms behind her back. 

His eyes shifted from the mountain trail to her pale face, “I wouldn’t.” Seth noticed her confusion and explained, “I don’t understand why we were put together, no one does. It’s like we knew what to expect from being a shifter: shift, imprint, pass on the gene. But then you came along, with your big red eyes and your long blonde hair and you mess it all up. You’re the one inconsistency with this whole thing. And these haven’t been a good few years for me, so I just wanted one thing, one thing, to stay the same. I can clearly see that it wasn’t you.

“I hated the whole ‘imprint’ deal, being stuck with someone who I don’t get to choose for the rest of my life seemed like a horrible deal. It broke my sister and I didn’t want to do that to some poor girl, break her like Leah. I hated the whole thing. Until you looked me in the eye, and all I could see for the rest of my life was you. I already know this won’t be easy, you haven’t made it easy since you got here! But I would never choose anyone else to be my imprint. You’re my life now, Caterina, whether or not you choose to accept it, that’s up to you. Just know, I would never choose anyone else.” She noticed wavering in his voice as he spoke, and how melancholy his brown eyes seemed when he looked at her. 

“Seth, I’m not,” she paused, “I’m not who you want.” The same somber look passed through his eyes. “If anything, you would probably hate me the minute you found out what I’ve done, who I’ve been,” Seth braced himself for the rejection as she spoke again, “But if you’re truly willing to stay with me, knowing I was on the enemy’s side, I certainly don’t think you’ll be too surprised.” A small smile graced his russet face, brightening Caterina’s entire world. 

As limited as the time was on their journey to know each other, they were both so attached, they were willing to do anything for it.


	4. A Fascist Government In Cloaks

“If we live through this, I’ll follow you anywhere, woman,” Garrett stated, his red eyes wandering to the Denali sister beside him.

“Now you tell me?” 

Caterina stared at the empty field ahead, waiting for the black cloaks to appear. She heard the breaking of twigs on the snowy forest ground and knew they were close. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath then looked to Seth, who was waiting in the forest with the other wolves, giving him a reassuring smile. 

As the Volturi approached, Aro’s face scanned the field. “Aro’s looking for Alice,” Edward stated quietly. A few of the wolves let out howls, taking their places on the field, with Seth and Leah settling on opposite sides of Caterina. 

When the Volturi took off their hoods, an official symbol that the trial of the Cullens had begun, Carlisle stepped forward, “Aro, let us discuss things as we used to, in a civilized manner.” 

“Fair words, Carlisle,” Aro began, “but a little out of place, given the battalion you’ve assembled against us.” 

“I can promise you, that was never my intent.” Aro smiled as he always did during trials, Caterina had come to loathe the expression when murder overtook the leader’s mind. Carlisle continued, beginning to speak to the group as a whole: the jury, “No laws have been broken.”

“We see the child,” Caius’s venomous voice rang out, “do not treat us as fools!” 

“She is not an immortal!” Carlisle yelled, then continued after a calming breath, “These witnesses can attest to that. Or you can look: see the flesh of human blood in her cheeks.” 

“Artifice!” The blond Volturi leader would surely be the demise of them all, Caterina mused. 

“I will collect every facet of the truth,” Aro held his hand out to his brother, showing patience despite the clear anger in his voice, “from someone more central to the story.” Caterina closed her eyes in an anxious manner. “Edward, as the child clings to your newborn mate, I assume you are involved.” He held out his hand in torturous anticipation, and Edward stepped away from his wife and daughter. Bella was quick to move Renesmee in between herself and Jacob’s large lupine form. 

Caterina didn’t fail to notice that Demetri was looking for her, or that Jane’s thoughts radiated excitement at the thought of taking down multiple covens as they had in the past. The small twin also attempted to send her waves of pain toward the newborn, who only smirked in return as her shield surrounded the group of witnesses. Of course Caterina covered who Bella could not protect, as she certainly didn’t expect her to shield multiple covens after such little training. 

Edward made no rush to cross the snow-covered field, given his destination was a sea of black and grey cloaks. It was clear that Bella’s main focus was protecting her husband from Jane’s wrath. When the telepath finally reached Aro, who quickly grabbed Edward’s hand, hoping for a slip up that would reveal that the Cullens could finally be announced as guilty and the Volturi would play the heroes once more. The look of hope soon became a look of feral astonishment. 

“I’d like to meet her,” Aro’s red eyes flickered from the red haired vampire to his hybrid daughter. Edward dolefully turned to Bella and Renesmee, effectively beckoning them over. They began walking, Jacob following close behind, before Bella paused, looking back to Emmett and Caterina, who both took their place beside the trio. The dejected looks on Rosalie and Seth’s faces went overlooked by the opposing side. 

When the group reached Aro’s waiting form, he tutted at the blonde immortal. “What a shame that you have decided to oppose us young Caterina.” She hated the way his words slithered out of his mouth and seemingly crawled under her skin. When she said nothing in return, his attraction landed on Bella’s immortality. Through her pounding thoughts, Cat heard his menacingly child-like laughter at the hybrid’s arrhythmic heartbeat. Closing her eyes, she attempted to focus on one thing at a time when suddenly all the noise halted and a large battle scene played in her head. 

“Now you know,” Alice’s voice was low: a warning, “That’s your future. Unless you decide on another course.” Aro’s worry cascaded to the rest of the guard as they wondered what she had shown him. Caterina’s eyes opened to see the small vampire in front of her, with Jasper being restrained by two members of the guard. 

Caius’s voice spewed something idiodic, probably. Though, Caterina didn’t pay him much attention as she read Alice’s hopeful and resolving thoughts. They proved a future for Renesmee, so long as the Volturi let them live. When the vampire duo stepped out from the trees into the clearing, Caterina knew that they would maintain peace. Though, for good measure, she looked to Siobhan and gave a small nod as a gesture to hope for the best outcome, just as she was. 

Caterina stood aside when they approached the group and only looked up when Bella spoke out in pure desperation, “How old are you?” 

Nahuel gave a small smile, “150 years.” Bella and Edward were two of the many - including Caterina - who gave sighs of relief. This was knowledge that Renesmee would be just as immortal as anyone in that field. 

“These children are much like us,” Marcus relished after hearing about hybrid survival.

“Regardless, the Cullens have been consorting with werewolves: our natural enemies!” Caius never wanted to leave without a fight, and it became clear to him that there would be none of that. 

“Dear ones,” Aro addressed his own witnesses, “there is no danger here.” His voice became cold, “We will not fight today.” 

Caterina sat on the steps to the Cullen residence, watching as the witnesses bid their goodbyes. She noticed a sullen presence sit beside her and she knew immediately who it was. Their pull had never felt more complete yet so empty. “So I guess you’ll be leaving now too, huh?” Seth’s eyes were attached to the ground.

She placed a pale hand beneath his chin, gently lifting it up, “What makes you say that?” Caterina then took it upon herself to place a soft kiss on Seth’s lips, effectively filling the pull once more.


	5. Hospitals Can't Make Me Shake Like You

The snow fell quietly to the ground that January. Only days had passed since the confrontation with the Volturi, though it seemed like years had passed with how normal everything seemed. Caterina sat on a wooden bench that she would have normally remarked as uncomfortable in any other circumstance. She watched as patients and visitors entered Seattle Children’s Hospital, the smell of salty tears and bouquets of flowers invading her senses. Her eyes were drawn to the ground, though, sharp nails clashing with sharp teeth as her foot tapped on the cement way too fast to be human. 

Finally, she stood up, the bench shaking with the force. As she entered the hospital, the quiet night shifted into bright artificial lights and screaming, crying. A team of nurses pushed a gurney through a set of heavy doors with a doctor straddling an unconscious patient, pushing heavily into his chest to keep his heart beating. Caterina’s eyes widened and she knew that if she had one, her heart would be beating uncontrollably out of fear. Despite that, she swallowed the venom that had pooled in her mouth and walked to the help desk where a pale woman with lackluster black hair and dull blue eyes offered her assistance. 

“I’m looking for Dr. Hale? I’m her sister.” Caterina said the first relation that came to mind. 

The woman, whose ID badge read “Lucille”, held up her index finger as she began typing on her computer, muttering under her breath, “The whole damn family must be attractive.” When she finished typing, she picked up the phone and announced, “Paging Dr. Hale to the front. Paging Dr. Hale to the front.” 

Rosalie soon walked through the doors, a white lab coat covering her navy red dress and heels effectively letting Caterina know that she had arrived. When she noticed the other blonde vampire, Rosalie stopped suddenly, her expression becoming worried. 

“I need to speak to you. Alone.” 

The smell of coffee was repulsive to both vampires but Rosalie knew the breakroom was the only place they would get any privacy. 

“Cat, what’s wrong? Is it Ness?” Caterina held back a laugh as she knew that Rosalie would never call her niece the nickname that Jacob had given her. 

“No, no. None of that. So pediatrics? I mean, I don’t know why I expected anything else, you’re great with kids. I’m willing to bet you’re Nessie’s favor-” Caterina rambled until Rosalie stopped her. 

“Caterina! I know you didn’t come all the way up here to tell me how I’m Renesemee’s favorite aunt, what’s wrong?” Rose spoke gently and Caterina knew she used that voice with her patients. 

“Something’s wrong,” was all that Caterina could say. Rosalie urged her to continue but the older vampire just turned to the small mirror that she figured doctors probably used to freshen up and began rubbing vigorously at her face. Before Rosalie could say anything, Caterina had already turned around, her cheeks flushed with color. 

“I covered it up with makeup when I noticed it this morning.”

The room was silent for the next few minutes as Rosalie attempted to articulate the right words to say. She moved closer, placing her pale hand on the red skin and letting her golden eyes take in the anomaly before her. 

“It’s soft.” 

“What?” Ruby met topaz in a gleam of confusion and worry. 

“Your skin. It’s soft.” Rosalie’s hands moved from Caterina’s face to her neck then down to her arms. “Your arms are still the same, the softness stops at about here,” Rosalie’s finger found itself halfway down Caterina’s neck. 

“Why did you come to me?” Rose’s question held no malice or ill intent, only true confusion. 

“I didn’t want to go to Carlisle for fear that his thoughts might get to Edward. Believe it or not, you have the most control over your thoughts than anyone I’ve ever met,” Caterina mused, her venom coated teeth pulling her lip in between them. 

“I don’t want people in my head.” 

“I understand. So what do you think is wrong with me?” The look of pure, untethered fear in Caterina’s eyes only reminded Rosalie of her last moments as a human, when fire overtook her body and she swore that death would surely suffice. 

“I’ll have to do some research, though it might be pointless, but I believe you might be displaying human characteristics as a way of combating your imprint. I can’t be sure the extent to which this will go, Cat.” Rose placed her hand gently on Caterina’s shoulder. Cat nodded and Rosalie whispered, “I won’t tell anyone, don’t worry.” That proved the end to their conversation and Caterina stood up to leave, a new feeling of sadness washing over her. 

The Cullen house was silent when she returned, the only sound being a steady heartbeat and a low hum of a song she didn’t recognize. Caterina knew immediately it was Seth, the pull in her chest felt sated and she knew a blush covered her cheeks. She found him sitting on the back porch, laying on a loveseat with his hands behind his head and his brown eyes closed. Caterina had decided days ago that brown was her favorite color, more specifically, the brown that represented Seth’s irises would forever glow as her favorite. 

“Seth,” even as gently as she spoke, her voice still startled him. 

“Woah, your cheeks.” He stood up quickly, concern laced in his eyes and his warm hand found its way to Caterina’s cheek. 

“Follow me.” She didn’t have to say it twice. Hell, if she hadn’t said it at all, Seth would have still followed her. He followed her to a bedroom on the third floor, in which the only contents were a large made bed covered in a white duvet, a small dark brown dresser, and an off-white loveseat - half of which was covered in first edition books. 

Before Seth could ask what they were doing in the room, Caterina placed a passionate kiss on his lips, grabbing forcefully at his short brown hair to which he responded by almost desperately pulling her waist towards him. 

“A-are you su-” Before he could finish, Caterina had already pulled him down onto the bed. He laid passionate kisses on her neck and collarbones and she welcomed them fervently. She pulled at his white t-shirt before deciding that he was taking too long and simply ripped the shirt from his body. 

He stared in awe at the blonde beneath him, he had never seen her act so feral before that his breath caught in his throat before he performed the same destruction of her clothing. Caterina clung to Seth’s body heat, pulling and scratching his arms, which only pushed him further down the rabbit hole that was her. They both knew that once they had tasted poison, they could never go back. Neither of them cared.


	6. To Be Part Of Humanity

The cool air of the hospital tickled Caterina’s cheeks, prompting anger to rise in her. She hated the way being partially human felt, the vulnerability and defenselessness it caused her to feel. It caused her to genuinely wonder how Nessie did it. Caterina’s hospital gown brought feelings of being a science experiment and the bed crinkled with every move. She was becoming impatient waiting for  _ Dr. Hale _ . 

“Sorry,” Rosalie apologized once she entered the small room, “got caught up.” 

Caterina bit her lip in anticipation while Rose readied a vial and a needle. “Are you trying to draw blood?” Rosalie nodded and simply stuck the needle into Cat’s neck. 

“Does that hurt?” 

“Yes!” 

Rose quickly apologized and continued to draw blood. It was then that she noticed the flush in Caterina’s body had spread to her chest. 

“It’s spreading? It’s only been two days!” Cat began to panic and Rose held her close and hushed her. 

“Have you told Seth?” Caterina’s lack of answer served as one. “You  _ need _ to tell him, Cat.” 

As right as Rosalie was, Caterina knew that if she told him, he would worry, sharing his thoughts not only with Edward, but with his entire pack.  _ What if this is just a fluke _ , she thought,  _ and then I tell him and it goes away and he’s worried for nothing _ . Somewhere inside of her, she knew she was wrong, that he should have been the first person she told, but that part of her brain wasn’t very prevalent at the moment. Her voice never wavered as she lied to Rose about rushing home and telling Seth. 

With her regular clothes back on and guilt weighing on her shoulders, she stepped out of the hospital into the cooler Washington air. She wished she had worn a thicker sweater, or that she even _had_ a thicker sweater. For a minute she thought about running, going wherever she could to get away from the Cullens and the Quilettes, but when a sharp pain penetrated her chest, she decided against it. Her heavy thoughts lead her to walk down the streets of Seattle, hoping an idea of how to get out of the mess she was in would come to mind. 

Men and women ogled the gorgeous blonde, never noticing the bright red eyes she hid behind long eyelashes. She had settled on her hunting territory being up north, somewhere in Canada; the pack didn’t enjoy that she fed on humans but could not stop her as she was now one of them. Promising they would never have to worry about innocent bodies piling up in Forks, she searched up north. With her mind on how generous the pack had been concerning her diet, she had yet to notice the young college boy calling out for her. 

“Hey blondie!” He yelled obscene things at her, making her miss the good times where she could have just killed him right there, no questions asked. In the current year, it was “inappropriate” and “illegal”, or at least that’s how Carlisle had explained it to her. She attempted to cross the street to avoid him, yet traffic was going too fast for her to walk across at human speed. As a result, she rolled her eyes, gave a large huff, and kept walking in the direction of the college boy with no morals. 

“You single? Hey, blonde with the hot body!” Finally, he broke her, “Bitch, you’re lucky I’m even talking to you!” She stopped in her tracks, turning on her heels to face him. 

“Nice eyes, what are you? A cosplayer?” His eyes looked her up and down, angering Caterina further than human standards. She didn’t even know what a cosplayer was but absolutely did not like the way he said that word. Even as he towered over her, she looked up at him, hoping it would shut him up. Fury was burning in her flaming red eyes, which were getting darker by the second, letting him know that they were not contacts. He gulped and fear overtook him when he got a glimpse of her gleaming sharp teeth. 

“You are nothing more than a little boy in big boy clothes. How does it feel to know that you are truly at the bottom? I know it scares you, I can taste your fear-” Her theatrical moment was cut short by him running in the opposite direction. She promptly turned around, readjusted the sleeves of her sweater, and continued on her way. 

Her thoughts still clung to her brain like parasites when she arrived at the Cullen residence. She immediately put up her shield and walked quickly to her bedroom where Seth was passed out on her bed, letting out soft snores. Taking a moment to look at him, she soon noticed the book spread open at his side:  _ Frankenstein _ . She smiled and kissed him on the forehead when he grabbed her hips and pulled her beside him. They both laughed, only stopping to look each other in the eyes. 

“You were reading  _ Frankenstein _ ,” Catalina observed, running her pale hand through his dark hair. 

“I was,” he noted, “you were reading it when I-” 

“I know.” Her interruption was soft, much like the brown in his eyes. 

“Edward said it was your favorite.” 

Cat hummed, agreeing. “It doesn’t seem to be yours.” 

Seth blushed and Caterina felt the urge to kiss him. “Hey, I was feeling tired before I started and besides I made it to page-” he looked in the book, his cheeks darkening once again, “48.” 

Laughing softly, Cat claimed, “It’s an acquired taste. Keep in mind I’ve had two centuries to acquire it.” 

“Did you know her?” 

“Mary Shelley? What, do you just assume I know every historical figure?” She was joking, but in a serious manner. 

“Um, yeah, kinda,” Seth replied sheepishly. 

Cat couldn’t help the laugh that broke from her lips, “No, I did not know her, nor did I know Dickens, Brontë, or - well I  _ did _ meet Shakespeare, but only once!” 

As they lie in bed, laughing, softly falling harder in love, they swore they could stay like that forever. If forever was a given, that is.


	7. Hold Me Tight, And Burn

Within two weeks, Rosalie had studied Caterina’s blood cells enough to come to an answer. Unfortunately, the answer was that the tests were inconclusive. The parts of Cat’s body where humanity had spread to, were no different than Nessie, and the only thing she could extract from the rest of her body was venom, which remained indifferent to her own. Rosalie had yet to determine how the fast it was spreading or where it would spread to next. It seemed sporadic, yet controlled. Caterina feared the inevitable day her heart would start beating again. 

Seth had kept quiet about the small changes he saw in his love, purely out of respect for her. He had noticed the softness return to her skin when he touched her, but said nothing. The biting urge to confront her began to gag him as he noticed a warm brown fill her irises instead of her normal crimson.

“Cat, what’s going on?” They had been cuddled up together on her bed, watching a movie and seeing how low the volume could go before they stopped hearing it. 

“W-what d’you mean?” She knew he had her, it was impossible for them to lie to each other. He gave her a knowing look, whatever it was, she would tell him. 

“Fine! A few weeks ago, I noticed that my cheeks were red. For the first time in  _ centuries,  _ I felt the snow on them, it made me cold. I went straight to Rose, I knew she could keep her thoughts secret from Edward, because I didn’t want anyone to know, just in case this was curable. But then it started to spread, and I panicked and I thought about running away but it hurt my heart and I know that I should have told you first and I’m sorry!” A salty substance had slid onto Cat’s cheek, it was warm so she knew it couldn’t be the venom that usually expelled from her eyes. She was crying. 

Continuing in the low whisper that Cat had been speaking in, as to have a private conversation in a house full of vampires, Seth stated, painfully, “Cat, it hurts that you didn’t come to me. I think I need to leave for a bit.” 

“W-when will you be back?” Her lip was trembling, and more tears spilled from her reddish-brown eyes. 

“I don’t know, but I will be back.” With that and a light kiss on her forehead, he was gone.

_ Two hours _ . Seth had been gone for two hours and the tears had yet to stop. A couple hundred years before Caterina had destroyed entire empires and burned them to the ground, and there she sat in the Cullen living room, crying over a boy. But he wasn’t just any boy, he was the love of her life, she knew that much. Otherwise it wouldn’t have hurt that badly. She laid down on the couch, channeling Jasper’s gift to send herself strong waves of lethargy. Strangely enough, it didn’t take very much. 

_ Five hours _ . Caterina had slept for two hours before she woke herself up with a sob, dried tears caking her face. After checking the time, she realized that Seth had then been gone for five hours. He did have a mother - Sue - and a sister. Caterina assumed he was with them, though the pull in her chest told her otherwise. She ignored it. 

_ Twelve hours.  _ If she had a heartbeat, it would be pounding. Cat’s face became red with worry and anger. It was when she tried to call him, and he didn’t answer, that fear overtook her. She ran to Rosalie, tears streaming down her face like they belonged there. The salty smell begged questions from the other vampires in the house, who had now become involved in the blonde girls’ conversation. 

“Did you have a vision, Cat? Did you see something about the Volturi?” Bella was frantic, holding onto Renesmee as if her life depended on it. 

“That’s not what’s going on!” Caterina could feel her throat constrict. Unused to the feeling, she almost choked. 

“What  _ is _ going on?” Jasper asked, authority peaking in his voice. Cat wished she could answer that, what  _ was _ going on? Ideas stormed through her brain, pummeling any rational thought. 

“Are you  _ crying _ , Cat?” It was a borderline accusation from Emmett. The wetness on her cheeks was still foreign to her. She hadn’t cried in centuries, and the thought of doing so, made more tears fall. 

Caterina let out a yell, silencing the Cullens, “Nothing is going on!” On the contrary, everything was going on. For a moment, Caterina wished she regretted agreeing to witness for the Cullens. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to, too much good had come from it. 

Rosalie turned to the other blonde, as if they were alone, and said, “You won’t find anything if you don’t tell them. It’s time, Cat.” 

More tears streamed from her face as Cat explained the changes she had been experiencing over the past few days. To say they were stunned was an understatement. The questions wouldn’t stop firing from their mouths like cannons. 

“Wait!” Alice called out, “I can’t see the Volturi’s future anymore!” Cat turned to Rosalie with an uneasy glance, fear rising high in her throat like an itch. She wanted so badly to scratch it, it burned far worse than any hunger she experienced as a vampire. At that moment, she knew. 

“They have Seth.” 


	8. Kidnapping Is Not My Love Language

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that I was technically supposed to update this on the 9th with Meraki, but work really got to me and I start school next week but I will try to keep up from now on, I promise! :)

Seth tried not to trip over the bulging roots of trees that protruded from the damp ground. He considered phasing for a moment, but disregarded the idea as he didn’t feel like losing another outfit. His mom would surely kill him. The noises that came from the thickest part of the forest would have scared him had he not been sure that the “big and bad” of Washington was at the Cullens, missing him. His and Cat’s fight had happened more than an hour before that moment in the forest, and that familiar tugging began in his chest. It was time to go back to her, he decided. 

It would have been, at least. However, a strong overly sweet bleach smell began to permeate his nose. Fear began to creep up on him when he figured out that it wasn’t any of the Cullens. They barely knew he had left, let alone would they come looking for him. There weren't supposed to be any more threats. He was promised that everything would calm down. Obviously that was not the case. 

_ Cat, please _ . On some level, he knew she would never hear him, but he had to have some hope that she would. 

“Here doggy!” A venomous male voice called out to him. 

Two figures in dark cloaks appeared in front of him, one matching the size and stature of Emmett. When they removed their hoods, Seth recognized them as members of the Volturi, if the crest hadn’t given them away. The bigger one, he had been told, was Felix, the strength among the Guard. His accomplice was slightly shorter, his spiky black hair and olive complexion giving him away as Demetri, the tracker. Caterina had also informed him of Demetri’s “infatuation” with her. 

Seth put up as much of a fight as he could, really. He shifted, large paws immediately thrown in the direction of Felix, knowing he would be more of an issue than Demetri. After managing to deter the larger vampire, he growled at the other, a warning. However, it didn’t seem to matter. Seth seemed to have misinterpreted how well trained the members of the Guard were in combat. The duo joined together in tackling the shifter, a whimper escaping his mouth. With no warning, a large snap was heard and Seth was back to normal, the bones in his left arm completely shattered. 

The pain soon became overwhelming, and Seth went unconscious. Felix and Demetri carried his limp body to a private plane, the logo on the side reading “Volterra Airlines”. Besides the fearful pilot and supernatural trio, no one else was on the plane. 

“What are we going to tell Aro?” Felix asked as he looked at the shifter, now clothed in sweatpants and a light grey cloak. 

“We aren’t,” the tracker said. 

“But-” 

“He does not need to know about our little...experiment.” Demetri gave a twisted smile.

“Jane and Alec?” 

“Sure, they can know, I think this will please Jane greatly.” 

It did not, Demetri soon found out. An elongated session of Jane’s power proved that she was anything but pleased. 

“Why would you do this?!” A light grip on her arm from her twin caused her to look away, sparing the Volturi tracker for at least a few seconds. 

“This could get Caterina back!” Demetri yelled to the shorter girl. 

Jane’s face contorted into one of pure anger, and she gave a short yell before her telepathic flames were back on Demetri. Alec and Felix didn’t dare stop her. Anyone outside of the Volturi would assume that Jane would be calmed by her friend and brother. If she knew them, they would not fear her, right? On the contrary, they feared her  _ because  _ they knew her. Jane was as threatening to the Guard as she was to anyone else, with the exception of her brother and, until now, Demetri. 

She held a soft spot for the raven haired Greek. He reminded her of the romance novels that she would read in the Volturi library. Jane was in love with Demetri, to put it lightly. Unfortunately, she was not his Juliet, that title always has and always would belong to Caterina. Jane was Demetri’s Rosaline, in love with nothing to receive. It was a fruitless venture, trying to distract him from Caterina. It was no longer an infatuation, Caterina was his obsession. Ironically, Jane was anything but mad at the blonde girl. She was envious and saddened at the prospect that Demetri could love anyone but her. 

In that moment, Jane knew she would have to break her ever-stable loyalty to Demetri. Seeing how far he would go for a girl he hadn’t known in centuries was enough to break her heart and build it back up again. Jane would have to help get Seth back to the Cullens. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have finally figured out a posting schedule! I know this should have been done a while ago but, let's face it, it didn't. There will be two stories up (hopefully) everyday. The schedule looks something like this: Scorch and A Divine Hell; Serendipity and This Golden Sun; Woman, Scorned and Brighter Gold; Meraki and Nomad. The two that are listed together will be updated every four days if everything goes accordingly. If you haven't checked out the other stories I've listed, you GOTTA check 'em out! All of them are Twilight besides Brighter Gold, which is Pansmione from Harry Potter. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If you did, please comment and let me know!


	9. Genuinely Unnoticeable

Of all the members on the Volturi’s guard, Jane and Alec had the most freedom. They were Aro’s favorites, after all. Well, besides Caterina, of course. No one questioned it when Jane and Alec gave a simple announcement that they would be absent for a few weeks on business. Aro gave no thought to the idea and happily sent them on their way, bidding safe travels. Even if he had decided to debate their truthfulness, they had both mastered guarding their thoughts, just enough that it was never suspicious. 

When they reached Washington, their first stop was an alleyway. They had gotten hungry on the plane. Jane tutted at her brother when she noticed a crimson stain on his cloak. He rolled his eyes as she attempted to remove the liquid from the dark fabric. 

“I think you’re just like mother,” Alec taunted. 

Jane’s actions halted and, in a shocked voice, she asked, “You remember mother?” 

“Not much,” he shrugged, “but I can assume you’re just like her, Janey.”

“ _Don’t_ call me Janey!” She said menacingly, though it no longer had an effect on the boy. 

To say that the Cullens were surprised when Alice told them to expect the Witch Twins at their doorstep would be an understatement. 

“Hello Jane, Alec,” Carlisle greeted politely. 

Caterina sat on the couch, wrapped in Rosalie and Renesmee’s arms as they comforted her. Jane actually felt bad about the ordeal when she saw the tremendous pain in the blonde’s eyes. 

“Demetri and Felix took your do - your friend.” Jane was never one to beat around the bush. Cat was shocked at the news about Seth. 

“So he didn’t - he didn’t leave me?” Jane shook her head.

“No. See, you’re still the center of Demetri’s infatuation, and he will not see reason. He’s already shattered the poor boy’s arm.” The Cullens were shocked at the level of sympathy Jane was showing, much less about a shifter. 

“Then why are you here?” Esme scolded Rosalie for her brash behavior. 

“Understandable question. I - _we_ want no part in his stupid games to vy for your unrequited attention. Eventually, Aro will find out about the boy, and I also don’t want him killed.” 

“Why wouldn’t you want him killed?” 

“You care for him, and I do like to think we were friends during your time on the Guard, no?” 

“Uh, yeah. Friends.”

“Wonderful!” Jane smiled, which shocked most if not all of the Cullens. “Now, would it be too much trouble for us to ask to stay?” 

“Of course not, Jane. You and Alec are welcome anytime. Thank you again for helping us get Seth back, we owe you our lives.” Caterina had quickly become another daughter to Carlisle, despite being older than him, and Seth, another son, despite being another species. 

“Do not be so dramatic, Carlisle. I simply do not want another _scene_ between your family and the Guard that would inevitably come with his death.”

Jacob and Sam’s pack were both called to the home, an official meeting between the four groups. Paul was told multiple times to keep his insulting comments to himself, to which he rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath. A plan was to be conjured to effectively and _safely_ get Seth out of Italy, with a few hiccups occurring in the process.

“I think most of us want him back here in one piece, Jane,” Cat said at one point. Her crossed arms sat on her chest. 

“Oh. Well, then nevermind,” Jane muttered as she scrapped the idea. 

After a while, a set plan had still not been developed, and the group made the decision to reconvene the next morning. Jane and Alec were shown to their individual rooms, both with queen sized beds and bookshelves stocked to the brim. There were loveseats in each room and a television. Jane was unpacking her things, placing the few neatly folded black clothes into the dresser. 

“Can you explain to me again why you care so much about Seth?” Caterina had not surprised Jane, of course. She had heard the approaching footsteps, but the question did just that. 

“I just...I told you, I don’t want another scene between your ‘family’ and us, that’s all.” Jane seemed unsure in her answer. Sure, Jane excelled at manipulating and menacing people, but that was her job. Lying was never her specialty. 

“You said something earlier,” Cat’s eyebrows furrowed, “about Demetri ‘vying for my unrequited attention’ and how sick of it you are. Could this be about how you feel about Demetri?”

Jane’ s eyes widened and she practically begged Cat to keep her mouth shut, though she was sure Alec had probably already heard. A laugh could be heard through the walls followed by an “I knew it!” and Jane wished she could implode. 

“I-I have no particular feelings for Demetri…” the smaller blonde trailed off. When Cat’s eyebrow raised with an accusing glare, her resolve melted. “Except that I’m hopelessly in love with him and all he does is talk about you.” 

Caterina’s face scrunched in a particularly unappealing way, “Why _me_?” 

Jane sighed and shrugged, “Probably because you’re the only woman in the world who never showed interest. Men are like that.” 

“Jane, he’s an idiot.” Caterina sat next to the darkly dressed girl on the bed. 

“...And?” 

“And what?” 

Jane’s red eyes found Cat’s, “Aren’t you supposed to go on some after-school special tangent about how ‘wonderful’ and ‘gorgeous’ and ‘brilliant’ I am? And say that ‘if he can’t see that, then forget about him’?”

“When did you start watching _Full House_?” Cat laughed.

“What is that?” 

“Nevermind,” Cat sighed, “you clearly already know all of those things. Why do you need to hear them from me?” 

Jane shrugged. It looked as if she had more to say, but she bit her tongue. Caterina had to fight back a yawn in the Guard member’s presence, then made up a lie about wanting to read for the night. 

The red eyed vampires never noticed Caterina’s heavy breaths matching Renesmee’s.


	10. Not Faring Well

Caterina was in a haze the next morning. While everyone else was trying to figure out a way to rescue Seth, she couldn’t help but feel responsible. If she had only told him the situation in the first place, he wouldn’t have left. He wouldn’t have been so upset with her. It felt like eons since Caterina had been told off by a parent and, while she couldn’t quite remember the specifics, she had heard plenty of examples on television.  _ I’m not mad, just disappointed _ . That was essentially how Seth felt about her, which felt exponentially worse. 

She explicitly wished he had been angry, so much so that he yelled at her, screamed if he really needed to. If Seth hadn’t been so understanding and patient, he would have never walked out of the Cullen household, he would have stayed with her and they would have fought. They would have been so angry their vision blurred. In the end, they would make up. Caterina would apologize and they could carry on with their lives. Instead, the most notoriously feared members of the Volturi stood in the Cullen living room, devising a plan with Sam and Jacob’s packs and the Cullens themselves, to save Seth from Caterina’s obsessive ex-whatever. They had never been lovers and, if she was being honest, she was never quite fond of Demetri during her time on the Guard. 

In her haze, she hadn’t realized the house had gone quiet. Once she did notice the absence of talking, Cat noticed that only Leah remained in the house. She shut her eyes in agony, knowing how Leah must feel about her. They probably hated Caterina the same amount in that moment, she thought. She considered seeking her out, begging her for forgiveness she didn’t truly believe she deserved. Fortunately, or unfortunately - Cat wasn’t sure how this would go - Leah’s form entered the living room, taking a place on the opposite side of the couch that Cat was sat on. 

Cat hesitated before she spoke, “I know you must hate me - trust me, I do too.” 

At the abrupt end of her sentence, Leah looked puzzled, “Is there a ‘but’ somewhere?”

The blonde’s curls shook at her negative answer, “Just thought you should know.” 

“Am I supposed to sympathise with you or something? I don’t care that you fought and that’s why he left - couldn’t care less, actually. It’s that Volturi guy’s fault, the one who’s in love with you.” Her scoff as she sat up stunned Cat. 

All the vampire could say was, “He’s not in love with me.” When Leah’s confused face looked back at her, she reiterated, “Demetri’s not in love with me. He doesn’t even know me. I certainly hope Seth is.” 

“He doesn’t have a choice!” Leah barked, and their eyes met. It was impossible not to notice the ever-so-present resentment that the brunette’s eyes held. Caterina wasn’t sure it was directed at her though. “Seth only loves you because his genes tell him to. If the situation were any different, he probably wouldn’t give you a second glance.” 

Leah began her retreat from the room but not before Caterina’s voice beckoned her attention, “Have you ever considered, just once, that maybe I don’t have a choice either. Maybe, yeah, if this were any different, I might not have even looked  _ at  _ him. That’s the thing about fate, Leah, it’s not about choices. Maybe there are none. Perhaps everything’s written down in some little journal somewhere, I don’t know!” 

“I love him, though. Fate wasn’t kind to you, and I’m sorry. But Seth and I, we’re happy in the big picture. I tried  _ so  _ hard to avoid any and all of you. I’m a nomad, we’re, y’know, supposed to be  _ nomadic _ . But every time I’ve ever thought about leaving and avoiding the heartbreak and the fighting and  _ whatever the hell is happening to me _ , there’s this hard tug in my chest to remind me of him. And trust me, I am so in love with him that, eventually, the pull stopped being from the imprint itself. It’s us. I am  _ so sorry _ for everything you’ve been through, but I beg of you,  _ never _ say that he only loves me because of his genes. It’s so much more than that and you know it.” 

Leah’s face softened at this revelation, and at the girl who, she quickly realised, was  _ never _ given a choice. It reminded her of herself. Her hard resolve had been tampered with by the very idea that the imprints were truly a connection, which almost hurt a little more. 

Jane came back in a hurry, nothing urgent had happened, she was just sick of being in the presence of that many people. Upon seeing the unclenching fists of the Quileute girl, and the crossed arms of her friend, she sensed the tension and became awkward. She felt a sort of  _ softness _ for the shape-shifting female. Jane, like many of the Volturi Guard, weren’t given much of a choice in immortality. There was, in that sense, a set number of things that had been completely lost in the burning transformation. To still have most of your humanity, but have the ability of creation taken away, Jane decided, was worse.

It was also fairly obvious that Leah had yet to find her place in the world, as Jane and Caterina had. The way the men in the pack treated Leah was despicable, and the Guard member had half a mind to tell them off. She placed her hand on Leah’s shoulder, an attempt to soothe her, if she still knew what that meant. It was only after a moment or two of acceptance that Leah shook off the appendage, grumbling and leaving the room. 

“So,” Caterina started, “Where is everybody?” 


End file.
